So how does Adtech generate more and more revenue and sells more and more ads year on year?

Simple answer - Fraud.

If you are selling more ads than there are minutes in a day * population some large enough group is getting mind fucked.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42262846

Points: 4

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In the past the Signal was - look at me, look at all these luxury items I have accumulated, look at my leisure activities, you want to be like me - do what I say.

Today the Signal is - I am so smart, Farmer Joe and his herd of illiterates has validated I am a genius, look at my networth, look at my ideas, you want to be like me - pay ATTENTION to me - do what I say.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42247657

Points: 4

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And this has a huge impact on trajectory of the majority of businesses. Cause with scale, they become dependent on other experts from Finance, Marketing, Sales, Logistics etc who take over decision making and leadership as firms grow in size.

You can see it in every sector of the economy. Not just Tech. James Cameron, Steven Spielberg or Peter Jackson don't end up creating and running a Disney anymore cause the amount of time to specialize in their own field keeps increasing.

Look at Finance. As soon as an org has more than a few offices in different countries they very quickly learn how to take advantage of difference in labor costs, interest rates, forex, corporate tax rates, rent, real estate costs, subsidy differences, regulatory differences etc. Now scale that up 20 offices in 20 countries and the Financial Engineering dept suddenly a huge say in where the story goes.

Replace Finance with other specializations(Marketing, Sales, Supply chain etc) and the same story plays out.

If you want to have influence you need to have skills across specializations, or know specialists who share your values.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42234411

Points: 3

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We have a system with ever growing "Content" but non growing Attention. How does a system that Produces more, than there is Consumption capacity survive? - https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/attention_economy_...

As info explodes and specialists dive deeper into their niches, info asymmetry between ppl increases. There are thousands of specialists running in different directions at different speeds. Leaders can't keep up.

Their job is to try to get all these "vectors" aligned toward common goals, prevent fragmentation and division.

And while most specialists think this "sync" process happens through "education" and getting everyone to understand a complex ever changing universe, the truth is large diverse groups are kept in sync via status signalling, carrot/stick etc. This is why leaders will pay attention when you talk in terms of what increases clout/status/wealth/security/followers etc. Cause thats their biggest tool to prevent schisms and collapse.

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200896

Points: 8

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Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42193911

Points: 6

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Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42191827

Points: 1

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Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42182809

Points: 4

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The real issue is Ambitious kids. Not the ones who have enough looks, contacts, knowledge, skill, intelligence, creativity and imagination to meet their goals but the ones who don't.

Materialism exploits such people more than anyone else. It tells them Donald if you are not admired, respected, loved just work hard, don't stop, keep grinding, keep hustling, accumulate material wealth, accumulate status, accumulate luxury goods and you will get the affection, respect, admiration and love you crave. Its pure bullshit.

This is the stuff that has to stop. We have to take care of these people better and channel their infinite energies into things beyond consumption and materialism. Its the hardest thing to do cause they are an extremely annoying group to deal with constantly craving attention, praise, sympathy and love. But thats the only path to a better, healthier and sustainable society. No Free Lunch.